A Powerful Event as Liam Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"He is an excellent coach that understands the game back to front, which is the most important thing.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering black footballer, I would be lying to claim this moment does not affect me."

These were the sentiments of Paul Canoville, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next manager after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of a multi-club ownership group that also controls the London club.

There have been only 12 black managers – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four in the past.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he was raised and developed his game locally, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a household that fights for equality… that's powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a massive step for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 thereby becoming the Premier League's first black manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight gaffer of colour.

The lack of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by a lack of representation at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023's study, 43% of Premier League players are from black backgrounds.

Yet, research from the equality organization found just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership positions at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse communities.

Regarding senior coaching positions, based on figures from 11 clubs, the figure is two percent.

For all coaching roles – encompassing head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is just five percent.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of ability that exists within black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show what they can do. We need to continue to work hard to break those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become one of only four full-time English head coaches presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's other major leagues in terms of national managers.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, 12 in the Bundesliga in Germany while Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English managers with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to young English academy coaches to see an individual land that job with that profile and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month stint at the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination in football and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that opportunities must be awarded based on qualification.

He also made a point he has often stated: how vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "passionate", but said he understood the Dutch international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member make a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the inclusion initiative and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the top flight's pioneering black boss in Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several executive roles, including the Football Association's equality board|